The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1887-09-21
COnvicts Can Tell the Truth.

COnvicts Can Tell the Truth.
Once that we are convicted and sent to
prison. some persons think that we are no
longer human beings; that we have lost all
honor, self-respect and principles; some
will look at us as if expecting to see horns
coming out of our heads. Are we worse
after conviction than we were several years
before, while living in sin and shame among
them? No; we are, and look the same, as
many others who sneer at us because they
are at large and doing worse than many of
us have done.
Should all the guilty ones be put behind
prison walls it would greatly increase our
numbers. Some think that because we are
convicts they can do what they please with
us, as we are helpless; but God always pro-
vides some way to punish the evl-dOers and
give justice to the offended ones. AS our
motto says, 1T is never too late to mend, -
it is never too late to demand justice. We
might be obliged to keep secret for a
whie but sooner or later we will find way
to let it come out Some people will hest
tate to believe us, and others will dare to
say cOnvicts are all liars, judging others by
themselves, but it is not so. Such might
be the case with some, for there are eXcep
tiOnS inside of this prison as well as on the
outside. We can find persons who have no
honor or self-respect, who don't care for
right and justice, and who would rather be
inSulted than respected. But hope there
are few such among lis.
1t seems to me that we can tell the truth
better now than before we were sent here,
because we have learned by our own eXpe
rience that lies never help, but on the con-
trary do us harm. Many of us did try to
deny charges against us. hoping that it
would save u.s. but it has only sunk us
deeper in peril. am sure that such was
the case for mel will not say all-fOr it
would be contrary to what l know. hope
that the greater number of us had good and
respectable parents who taught lis to be
good girls and boys. We remained such un-
til we went away from them and aSSOci-
ated with bad companions who used all
their influence to make us as bad as them
selves. But God has not fOrsaken us. if we
did forget Him for while. The tears and
prayers of our good mothers and fathers
sent to God increasingly for us, were an
swered at last, by sending us here to punish
our bodies to save our souls. Is it not so,
reader? Have you never stopped to think,
WIlcll dlOIc III yOuI Sllldll CGll, away lIOul
all that is sweet to life, far from your
friends. that we are the cause of all our sac
rifices? We should never murmur but
try to be cOntented as much as possible,
and hate those who induced us to do wrong,
rather than those who sentenced us here.
OF those who now have charge of us as
long as they do their duty toward us, and
God. OF course l don't mean to love
man or woman who would use their pow
erS to make us do evil, and try to push us
deeper in sin ana shame than we ever had
been before, while we are trying to reform
ourselves and return to God, and become
what we had been once befOre-gOOd and
respectable citizens. l don't mean that the
public will look upon us as such. but our
parents and friends will if we only prove
ourselves worthy. and God also will. 1t
is all we should care for. No matter how
low and shameful an action we may have
committed, we should always tell the truth.
We have not been ashamed to do evil in the
sight OF God; why are we ashamed to con-
fess it before men? Are men greater than
God? No! So never be afraid to stand for
the truth. right and justice. Let us be men
and women inside these prison walls. SO
that if ever God grants us our freedom
again we will be able to make good use of
it.
nave no dOuDC tnaJ many readers Will
laugh and sheer at this. but l don't care.
l mean every word l say. IOnly hope that
this may not be misconstrued. If l could
express myself as l wish l could, | would
say more. for L don't like to hear one of my
sister prisoners try to pass all her brothers
and sisters and herself off for liars. L am
bound to deny it, and prove that we can tell
the truth and stand by it.
Sept. II, 1887. AZILDA BEAUDRY.